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Family of Man Accused of Racist Stabbing Won't Pay For His Defense: Lawyer

 James Jackson killed Timothy Caughman in a likely
James Jackson killed Timothy Caughman in a likely "act of terrorism" against black men, officials said.
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Jefferson Siegel/New York Daily News

MANHATTAN SUPREME COURT — The family of the Baltimore military veteran accused of fatally stabbing a black man in Hell’s Kitchen as part of a planned murder spree targeting black men will not pay for his defense lawyer.

Manhattan Supreme Court Justice Charles Solomon on Monday rescheduled James Harris Jackson’s arraignment to Wednesday, after the attorney who’d been retained by Jackson’s family said he was told he wouldn’t be paid for his services past Monday’s appearance.

“Whether they have the funds or not, I’m not sure, but I can say that Mr. Jackson is 28 years old, he’s his own financial entity, and his parents are not going to pay for this,” attorney Sanford Talkin told the judge.

Jackson, who appeared in court in a two-piece khaki prison uniform, said he wouldn’t be able to pay for his own attorney.

“Do you have the ability to hire a lawyer?” the judge asked him.

“I do not,” Jackson replied.

Asked whether he had friends or relatives who could hire an attorney for him, Jackson responded, “no.”

Following his court appearance, a spokesman for Jackson’s family said they had "no comment to make at this time.”

A panel will assign a lawyer to Jackson prior to his Wednesday court appearance, Judge Solomon said.

Jackson, who previously served in Afghanistan, fatally stabbed 66-year-old Timothy Caughman near West 36th Street and Ninth Avenue on March 21, officials said.

He told police Caughman’s murder was “practice” for a spree targeting black men in Times Square, and was arraigned for murder as a hate crime, according to prosecutors. The Manhattan District Attorney’s office is also considering adding terrorism charges.

Jackson is currently being held at the Anna M. Kross Correctional Facility, city Department of Correction records show.